The power of partnership

In an age where information is seemingly available to anyone, working with knowledgeable professionals with expertise and insight is an essential requirement when navigating the superyacht industry. It’s why the international brokerage community forms an integral link in Heesen’s sales and communications chain. And why a symbiotic relationship between the two brings added value to yacht owners and future clients alike.

“Yachting is a personal one-to-one business,” says Mark Cavendish, Executive Commercial Officer at Heesen Yachts. “Pretty much all brokers are selling from the same pool of boats, which is why nurturing face-to-face relationships is so important. A sale comes down to whether a client likes the broker, feels confident with them, and regards them as the kind of person that they can do business with. You can’t communicate that through email.”

Both Cavendish and Heesen’s Sales Director, Robert Drontmann, were yacht brokers in the 90s and early 2000s respectively, prior to joining the Dutch shipyard. They list patience and resilience as key broker traits. “You can get an inquiry from a boat show in September that won’t come to fruition for six months or two years. It is not a quick fix,” says Cavendish.

In addition, the landscape has significantly changed in the 30 years since Cavendish and Drontmann sat on the broker side of the table, largely with the advent of the internet and mobile phone laying waste to fax and letters. “In the past, it wasn’t easy to find out what yachts were available for sale on the market, and all client information was sent by post,” says Drontmann. “The arrival of the internet has not only gave birth to the speed and efficiency of email, but made information gathering highly transparent.”

The biggest shift of the market has been the enormous increase in the number, size and value of yachts, yet Cavendish and Drontmann’s frontline experience gives them valuable understanding of how a shipyard can meet brokers’ specific sales needs, and vice versa.

“Even though the pool of yachts available today has increased enormously since the 90s, the number of brokers in the world now outstrips the number of yachts, which means the entire industry has become a lot more competitive,” says Cavendish. “The ability for a broker to distinguish themselves with valuable and verified information is critical, which is why we are proactive in speaking to our selected brokerage community and maintaining a strong relationship with them.”

Brokers account for more than 50% of Heesen’s yacht sales, many of which form part of the Dutch shipyard’s prolific speculative build programme. The other 50% comes direct from new and repeat clients. Both scenarios make it imperative for clients to be kept up to speed on all available builds, models and concepts, including fast delivery dates.

“We can’t be everywhere in the world all at once, so a broker who regularly speaks to their key clients brings great added value to both the shipyard and the client,” says Drontmann.

Heesen’s sales team makes regular visits to yachting hubs, such as France, the US and Middle East to personally meet with brokers and inform them about what Heesen has to offer. Its annual brokerage Ski Cup to the Italian Dolomites, which has been running for nearly 15 years, has also become a coveted venture and the perfect opportunity to tap into vital networks. It’s a broker’s ability to provide impartial advice to clients who trust their opinion that truly counts. And it’s through broker feedback that Heesen directs a large proportion of its speculation build portfolio, says Cavendish.

“We have a permanent ongoing dialogue with brokers. They can give the client confidence in a way that we can’t because they’re independent. They explain to the client what’s important, what the technical details mean, and what the significance of it all is. In essence, they tell the client what they need to know.”

To date, the fastest Heesen sale from a broker contract inquiry to completion is one month. Typically, sales contracts for custom Heesen builds — a yacht sized between 50 metres and 80 metres — takes a little longer, though in theory, if an owner knows what they want and a broker understands the parameters that Heesen operates within, a rapid one month contract signing is viable.

“We build a lot more highly specific custom yachts than people give us credit for,” says Cavendish, noting Heesen’s recent custom deliveries of 67-metre Sparta, 60-metre Ultra G, 80-metre Genesis, and 60-metre Lusine.

“At the end of the day, the product largely sells itself. There’s nobody in the world who can talk a billionaire into spending €100 million. The client must want to buy a yacht and have the resources to do so,” adds Cavendish. “They’re buying a fun thing for their family to enjoy, and the key is to make that process as smooth and pleasurable as possible.”

Words by Julia Zaltzman